YOUR CART

​Disclaimer: First and foremost, I would like to say I am not a doctor, qualified chiro or physio. I am a qualified personal trainer who has been lifting for 4 years and powerlifting/training strongwoman for the past 2-3. I’ve had a wide range of injuries and hiccups along the way that I have both self-medicated as well as sought professional help with and I hope that some of these tips and tricks are able to help you.

Phew, now that the formalities are out of the way... Hi, how’s it going? Get comfy and read about my experiences pissing my pants in the gym. Warning, there will be times I share way too much info, but hey! We’re all human.

I first noticed this “dysfunction” (I say dysfunction because although its common, it’s certainly not normal!) about a year into my powerlifting journey when I started pulling heavier weights and used my belt like it was a security blanket. At first, I just shrugged it off because a large handful of women I knew experienced this, I know it’s a common occurrence from women who have had children but also among powerlifters and other strength athletes. I had finally joined the elite club of “team pissy pants.” It didn’t bother my all that much as it was only very minor and I just knew I had to bring a pad with me to my sessions. After a while it became more and more noticeable and I was feeling like I had to use the toilet before every set. It became more frequent and was much like Niagara Falls as far as volume was (TMI? Sorry… I did warn you). How can someone produce that much urine when they had just gone to the bathroom? It began to affect my lifting, I would start pulling a deadlift and it would be all I could focus on and I started missing lifts, sets and prescribed weights. Then it started affecting my day to day life, I would sneeze or cough or even laugh and oh god there would be a mess. This is when I finally took a stand against my body and booked in with my chiro Kylie Vincent Chiropractic. She confirmed what I thought was the case, I had an SI Joint out to one side and a bit of pelvic instability, putting pressure on my bladder and causing the incontinence. The pelvic instability came from a lack of glute and lower abdominal activation before my lifting causing too much movement in my pelvis.Now the good news… I rarely experience my issue anymore.How have I helped it?

Book in with a good physio, chiro or doctor so they can determine the root cause.

Get in, see someone and have them assess your back, pelvis, hips, everything! They will be able to point you in the right direction. If you live in Adelaide I highly recommend seeing Kylie Vincent Chiropractic located in Parkside.

Start Activating Your Glutes.​​

Check the video below for tips!

Make sure your glutes are doing the work they need to do. Not only does it create a round, beautiful butt, it also ensures your back is staying stable and you’re less likely to experience incontinence. My routine includes:3 x 10 banded squats3 x 10 monster walks3 x 10 glute kick backs

Start Activating Your Lower Abdominals

This will also keep your back stable! Work on those rock-hard abs! My routine includes:3 x 10 single leg, leg raises. I lay on my back with my legs at a 90-degree angle. I then tense my abs (under my layer of cookies) and slowly drop one leg at a time. Ensure your back doesn’t arch and your abs stay on! Drop the reps in you need to.

Breath Through Your Nose

I have begun breathing through my nose as I brace for my lift. This has allowed me to brace my abdomen harder and also hold it during my lifts! Give this a go, I would recommend starting with a light weight as it takes a bit to get used to.

By implementing these few small changes, I have noticed a considerable difference! Gone are the days of fearing sneezing in public, or lifting heavy! I still have a few moments here and there on my nemesis lifts… Stones I’m looking at you. But all in all, I have definitely seen a noticeable improvement.